The Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) led organized marches in Chicago on Aug. 19 and 22, 2024. They began in Union Park and marched from Washington Boulevard to Park 578 near United Center during the DNC. While the coalition aims to bring the demands “of the people’s movements to the door of the Democratic party,” their main demand is to “stand with Palestine and end US aid to Israel” according to their website.
The coalition held a press conference at 10 a.m. on the morning of the first march. This opening march was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. with a program of activists and artists taking the stage starting at noon.
During the press conference, Hatem Abudayyeh, spokesperson for the Coalition of March on the DNC and national chair of the United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), along with other community leaders and organizations from the coalition advocated for Palestine rights and ending U.S. aid to Israel.
Abudayyeh said, “We’ve said over and over and over again that the event of the season is in Chicago today, at Union Park, not in the United Center. The excitement is going to be in this park, the masses of people from the Black community and the Latino community and the Asian community and the Native community, and all other communities that are here representing all these issues, immigrant rights and Black liberation and a stop to police crime and police accountability, and LGBTQ rights and reproductive rights and workers rights, the right to unionize, the right to strike. All of those issues will be reflected on the stage. All of those issues will be reflected in the crowd, in the posters and in the banners and in the puppets, and they’re all coming together in unity to express the central demand and the central issue of this week of protest at the DNC, which is, stop US aid to Israel. Stop the genocide.”
Faayani Aboma Mijana, press coordinator for Coalition of March on the DNC and spokesperson of Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), spoke on the Black Liberation Movement’s solidarity with Palestinians to end U.S. aid to Israel.
Mijana said, “The existence of this coalition, of this March is a testament to how the very working and oppressed people these democrats claim to represent will no longer stand for the currently existing order of our tax dollars being sent to fund a genocide.”
Sydney Loving, a representative for the National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression (NAARPR), highlighted the Palestinian Liberation Movement’s solidarity with the Black Liberation Movement during George Floyd’s protest in 2020. In addition, Executive Director Christine Neumann-Ortiz of Voces de la Frontera expressed immigrants’ solidarity with Palestine. This Voces De la Frontera is known as “Wisconsin’s leading immigrant rights organization, and has been organizing and empowering immigrant workers and families for over 20 years.”
Neumann-Ortiz said, “We know that an independent movement from below that is in solidarity with each other is the only way we can build enough power to defeat fascism and advance a real democracy. Immigrant Rights is women’s rights. Immigrant Rights is LGBTQ rights. Immigrant Rights is workers’ rights. Immigrant Rights is human rights. Sí, Se Puede!”
Inhe Choi, executive director of HANA Center, criticized the Democratic Party for its support of Israel and its failure to meet the needs of marginalized communities.
Choi said, “Politicians know very well about taxation and representation, so to them, we’re here to say that we’re not paying you to be all fancy and boastful and joyous among yourselves inside the convention or outside the convention. We are here to say, do your job. Make policies that protect and support immigrants and all other marginalized communities as well.”
Victoria Hinckley, a student organizer with Students for a Democratic Society, works to defend student protests for Palestine that demand universities to divest from genocide. Hinckley said, “We refuse to let our universities get away with funding a genocide in our name; disclose, divest, we will not stop. We will not rest.” Hinckley explained that she was expelled from the University of South Florida for her advocacy for Palestine despite being one assignment away from graduating.
Omar Younes, a co-founder of Jisoor, highlighted the importance of community empowerment. Jisoor is a great example of community empowerment as a “group of Palestinian activists primarily based in the Chicago area.”
Younes said, “Hundreds of students came out spending days at their university campuses, people of all backgrounds, Black, Latino and every single color you can imagine. Out there to support the Palestinian people and demand better for our people. Our message is clear, end US aid to Israel now. Stop financing the oppression of Palestinians. And this demand alone can decisively save 2 million Palestinians still trapped in us. That’s why we’re here today.”
The coalition included various community leaders advocating for immigrant rights, Black liberation, student rights, women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights and workers’ rights. Despite the diverse social justice causes, the coalition kept its focus unified on the call for Palestine liberation.
